Trapped
by Rosesdancinginmymind
Summary: AU version of 4x05 (well kind of) wherein Emma and Regina get trapped together in Regina's vault. What will happen next? SQ oneshot.


_Just a oneshot that popped into my brain. AU version of 4x05 (well kind of) wherein Emma and Regina get trapped together in Regina's vault. What will happen next? SQ oneshot. I don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you all enjoy :) _

"No!" Regina cries out as the ice encases them. She winces as she thumps the door feeling pain radiating up and down her injured arm. "Damnit," she mutters as she slides down the door to sit on the ground.

Ordinarily she would use magic to heal herself but she can't. The snow monster's attack has weakened her considerably and whilst she loathes to admit it she's never been skilled at healing herself. When she has to try she needs to be well rested, not injured, tired and trapped in an icy vault with Emma Swan.

She hates being trapped.

She always has and she has her mother to thank for that. Regina shudders trying to repress the onslaught of memories that threaten to take hold of her.

To make things worse she's trapped with Emma. Emma who she secretly loves yet cannot bring herself to admit. Emma who is dating a pirate and trying to be there for her except Regina just cannot let her. Letting Emma be there would be as hard as it would be heart-breaking. It makes her heart ache in her chest just to be around Emma which is why she tries to avoid her.

"Are you okay?" Emma's voice rings through the freezing vault but Regina doesn't answer. She's hoping her magic will recharge quickly enough for them to get out of here soon.

"Regina," Emma tries again sliding down the floor beside her. She wraps her arms tight around herself to try and stave off the cold but it doesn't work. She makes a mental note to start wearing a thicker jacket or at the very least learn how to magic up hot cocoa at any given moment.

The other woman still doesn't answer so Emma moves her hand to touch Regina's arm gently. Regina looks down at the motion and blinks. That hand on her arm means so much to her. It gives her comfort and warmth and a sense of safety. It makes her surrender to that feeling in her heart that tells her she wants to be with Emma and she can't let that happen.

She can't because Emma is with another and she wants Emma to be happy even if it means letting her go and breaking her own heart, even if it means pushing her away.

She shrugs away from Emma's grasp before forcing herself to move to the other side of the vault. She doesn't want to, god she doesn't. She longs to give in to that serene feeling of warmth and safety Emma's touch provides but she can't.

So she scoots away and prays for her magic to return to her soon.

* * *

><p>Emma sighs as Regina whimpers. She doesn't know if the brunette can hear or her not but each pained and terrified whimper sends a tremor of pain through Emma's own heart. She doesn't know exactly when she fell for Regina but she fell hard. It took seeing her date Robin for Emma to realise how she felt and then she thought it was too late so she gave Hook a chance. It was a chance that stopped working very quickly. Now he's just a pain in her ass when all she wants to do is make things right with Regina.<p>

She needs to fix things.

She doesn't even know how. All she knows is that every fibre of her being wants happiness and love for Regina. Emma wants to be the one who provides that for her. She doesn't know if she will be but she has to believe she can be. Even if she can't she can help.

She can try.

Emma scoots across the vault to wear Regina sits, her head resting on shaking knees. Emma frowns seeing tears trailing down cheeks that are hidden beneath chocolatey locks. The whimpers and tears tell Emma everything she needs to do. They've always had a way between them when they haven't needed words, they just know. It's the kind of connection Emma has been craving her whole life yet didn't even realise she had found until losing it from her life.

"Regina," she whispers softly placing her hand on Regina's knee. This time Regina doesn't shrug away. Emma doesn't know if it's because she's accepting the comfort or if she's too lost in memories to realise it. Either way Emma's just glad Regina is letting her comfort her. She begins drawing circles on Regina's knee to soothe her and bring her out of the past pain and horror that being trapped brings. She remembers Henry telling her how his Mom used to soothe him like this and she hopes it works for Regina too.

Slowly but surely Regina lifts her head up at the surprising, warm, comforting touch. Lost in the sea of memories being trapped took her away in she hadn't noticed Emma coming closer. She was reliving terror and fear that was almost paralyzing. The suddenly comfort. She shrugged away before but she's tired and afraid and god it's just so damn hard to fight the desire for the safety Emma provides her.

Emma can see the exhaustion and the remnants of terror painted all over Regina's features and she frowns wondering when the last time Regina truly slept was. She knows the other woman has busied herself with Operation Mongoose and trying to cure Marian but it worries her to think about Regina not taking care of herself. As Regina slowly pulls out of her memories and back to the present Emma moves her thumb to stroke away the tears rolling down Regina's cheeks. She smiles slightly as Regina leans into the touch knowing the brunette is slowly coming back to her.

"You okay?" she asks.

Regina nods, "I am now," she replies, "Thank you for bringing me back."

"Always," Emma promises.

Regina smiles but Emma can see pain in those beautiful caramel eyes and she wishes that wasn't there. Regina moves her arm to wipe those tears away before gasping as a fresh wave of agony hits. Emma frowns wishing for the arm she didn't even know was hurt. She gently reaches for that arm taking care not to jostle it as she slips the blazer from it. She gasps seeing the deep purple bruise reaching down from Regina's shoulder right to her elbow.

"Regina, why didn't you say something?"

"I'm waiting to heal it. My magic will be okay soon," Regina replies stubbornly.

Emma rolls her eyes, "Regina you're exhausted and hurt. Please let me heal you."

"You don't know how," Regina points out.

Emma sighs before remembering something, "Well magic is about emotion right? So surely I can use the way I feel about you to heal you."

Regina smiles but it doesn't reach her eyes. The only emotion powerful enough to heal another when as unskilled as Emma is true love. She wants so badly for it to work. She sighs knowing that this moment will either bring her great joy or more heartache before looking up at Emma, "Try."

Emma nods before looking at Regina's arm. She strokes her thumb tenderly over bruised flesh before holding her hands over it. She doesn't picture a bruise or pain or anything of the sort. What she pictures are all the moments where she has placed a hand on that arm and managed to bring Regina back to herself. She thinks of safety and support through a subtle touch. She focuses on the feeling she gets when they touch, that spark of a connection that has her longing for more. Her heart hums with her love for the other woman as she uses it to channel her magic.

Regina gasps as her arm heals and this time the tears that spring into her eyes do not come from fear. Emma looks up at the gasp, "Did I hurt you?"

"No," Regina says with a smile, "You healed me."

Emma smiles back, "What does that mean?"

"What?" Regina asks.

"I know it means something. I can tell. With you Regina I can always tell and that means something."

Regina shakes her head, "It's nothing to worry about."

"Regina," Emma says.

Regina sighs, "It doesn't matter. I'm sure your boyfriend is expecting you back so we should try and get out of here."

_Jealousy_ Emma thinks catching the expression and tone right away, "He's not my boyfriend," she says shifting closer to Regina seeking out the warmth of the other woman.

"He's not?"

"He's not the one I wanted," Emma says.

Regina's breath hitches as she inches closer to Emma daring to rest her hand atop of Emma's cupping her cheek, "Who is?"

Emma smiles answering Regina by brushing her lips against Regina's in a soft, tentative kiss. It's the barest ghost of a touch waiting for Regina's response. It takes just one moment before Regina's lips move against her own. Both women gasp into the kiss at the feeling that strikes their hearts in that first kiss. It's a spark running through their bodies as their hearts swell with love and happiness. They draw closer to each other deepening the kiss as they finally give in to the love they've felt for so long.

They part slowly and Regina smiles, "Look what we did," she says. Emma follows her gaze seeing how the ice and snow has melted away. She smiles before looking back at the woman in her arms. She helps Regina up off the ground before kissing her once more.

"Let's go home," Emma says.

Regina smiles at her taking Emma's hand in her own. The kiss she gives Emma is one of invitation and longing and a promise for the future. She grins at the blonde before simply replying, "Let's."

_Thanks for reading :) _


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